Cardiff claim win
Cardiff Blues stayed firmly on course for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals tonight, after subduing Harlequins' spirited resistance with a 23-12 win at a windswept Arms Park.
The Blues will win Pool Three if they topple Memorial Stadium hosts Bristol on Sunday week.
Defeat in the west country, though, could let French champions Stade Francais through the back door. Stade's last game is away to already-eliminated Quins.
But Cardiff have control of their own destiny, which is everything head coach David Young would have wanted heading into the final round of group matches.
Quins made the Welsh side work hard, competing vigorously at the breakdown and holding their own in scrums and line-outs; yet Cardiff possessed a sharper attacking edge.
Centres Dafydd Hewitt and Tom Shanklin scored tries in each half, while full-back Ben Blair's accurate goalkicking netted him 13 points from five shots at goal.
Quins centre Hal Luscombe scored a try that briefly threatened Cardiff's victory prospects, while full-back Mike Brown claimed a late consolation effort - but the Blues were not to be denied.
